Explosive Johnson to Return to Force
October 21, 2011 - Arena Football League (AFL)
Georgia Force News Release
Duluth, GA (October 21, 2011) - C.J. Johnson made a name for himself as one of the most electrifying players in the Arena Football League in 2011. The Force announced on Friday that the receiver/kick returner will be back in Georgia for the 2012 season.
"C.J. is a true AFL Iron Man," said Force head coach Dean Cokinos. "He really is an explosive player. The main thing with him is that you get the same high level, consistent effort every game."
Johnson finished the season with 3,295 total yards, a franchise record and second-most in the AFL behind P.J. Berry of New Orleans. He returned 91 kickoffs for 1,857 yards, along with being one of three Force receivers to log over 1,000 yards. As a wideout, Johnson finished with 122 catches for 1,438 yards and 17 touchdowns. He averaged 20.4 yards per kickoff return, the fourth best mark in the AFL, and had five kick return touchdowns, tying him for the league lead.
He gained a bit of infamy during the Force's American Conference Championship Game loss in Jacksonville when he was held by a fan in the end zone after catching a kickoff, preventing him from running the ball out. The play received exposure on numerous national outlets, including ESPN and Yahoo!.
Johnson will be part of a receiving corps that includes the previously re-signed Larry Shipp and newcomer Shay Hodge, an Ole Miss product and former Cincinnati Bengals signee. Other first-time Force receivers include Brandon McRae, Rodney Bradley, and Jake Allen.
"We expect [C.J.] to be the leader of a very talented group of receivers in 2012," said Cokinos.
• Discuss this story on the Arena Football League message board...
Arena Football League Stories from October 21, 2011
- Barnstormers Land De'Mon Glanton - Iowa Barnstormers
- Shock to Host Three Free Agent Camps - Spokane Shock
- Power Signs 2011 AFL Ironman P.J. Berry, Re-Sign Mike Lucian and adds Corey Konycki - Pittsburgh Power
- Explosive Johnson to Return to Force - Georgia Force
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
